Oven-baked chicken gyros with tzatziki: crispy edges without a spit, on a plate or in pita

Tip: tap a step to mark it as done.

1. Marinate the chicken

   40 min

   Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and cut into strips about 1 cm thick. In a bowl, mix the yogurt, oil, crushed garlic, paprika, cumin, oregano, coriander, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss the chicken thoroughly in the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

2. Make the tzatziki

   10 min

   Coarsely grate the cucumber, sprinkle with salt, and let stand for 5 minutes, then squeeze out the water with your hands. Mix with the yogurt, crushed garlic, oil, dill, and lemon juice. Season with salt and refrigerate.

3. Bake the chicken

   15 min

   Preheat the oven to 230 °C (450 °F). Spread the chicken and its marinade in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the chicken is white in the center.

4. Finish under the broiler

   5 min

   Switch the oven to broil and broil the chicken for 3–5 minutes, until the edges of the strips are browned. Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes into wedges, thinly slice the onion into rings, and tear the lettuce.

5. Serve

   5 min

   Warm the pitas in a dry skillet for 1 minute. Fill each with lettuce, chicken gyros, tomatoes, onion, and a tablespoon of tzatziki. Serve the remaining tzatziki on the side. Alternatively, serve the chicken gyros on a plate with the vegetables and pita.

Tip: Spread the strips in a single layer on the baking sheet; if crowded, the chicken will steam rather than brown. For even juicier chicken, leave it in the marinade overnight in the refrigerator.

This recipe was translated from the Slovak original: Šťavnatý kurací gyros z rúry s tzatziki: chrumkavé okraje bez ražňa, na tanier aj do pity